Stabilized emulsion systems

Claim 2

An opaque emulsion containing niosomal systems having liquid crystal-like structures comprising a non-aqueous phase, which comprises the following components: (a) an emulsifier system, consisting of one or more non-ionic emulsifiers; (b) a liquid hydrophobic system, consisting of one or more hydrophobic materials; (c) one or more stabilizing perfumery materials; (d) one or more optional surfactants, other than non-ionics; and an aqueous phase which optionally also comprises hydrophilic materials; wherein the emulsifier system is present at 1-30% of the total weight, the aqueous phase is present at 30-98% of the total weight, the liquid hydrophobic system is present at 0.01-50% of the total weight, the stabilizing perfumery material is present at 0.5-25% by weight relative to the emulsifier system, and optional surfactants are present at 0-50% by weight relative to the emulsifier system.

Claim 3

An emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the emulsifier system consists of one or more non-ionic emulsifiers is selected from the group consisting of polyethoxylated alcohols, fatty acid esters of polyethylene glycol, glycerol mono-fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters and polyethoxylated sorbitan fatty acid esters.

Claim 4

An emulsion according to claim 2 wherein the non-ionic emulsifiers is selected from the group consisting of i.a. (Polyethoxylated) alcohols of the formula: CH3--(CH2).sub.x --(CH.tbd.CH)y--(CH2).sub.z --(O--CH2--CH2).sub.w --OH wherein: w ranges from 0-20, y is 0 or 1; x+z+2y=11-23; i.b. Branched (polyethoxylated) fatty alcohols of the formula: R--(O--CH2--CH2).sub.w --OH wherein: R is a branched alkyl group of 12-18 carbon atoms and w is as specified above; ii. Glycerol mono-stearate, oleate, palmitate or laurate; iii. Fatty acid esters of polyethylene glycol of the formula: R1--(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --OH or R1--(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --O--R1 wherein R1 is a stearoyl, lauroyl, oleoyl or palmitoyl residue; w ranges from 2-20; iv. Sorbitan fatty acid mono- and tri-esters of the formula: ##STR7## wherein R1 is H or ##STR8## and R2 is ##STR9## and w ranges from 10-16; v. Polyethoxylated sorbitan fatty acid esters, of the formula: ##STR10## wherein: R1 is H or ##STR11## and R2 is ##STR12## u ranges from 10-16 and (w+x+y+z) is 2-20.

Claim 5

An emulsion according to claim 3, wherein the non-ionic emulsifier is a (polyethoxylated) alcohol of the formula: CH3--(CH2).sub.x --(CH.tbd.CH).sub.y --(CH2).sub.z --(O--CH2--CH2).sub.w --OH wherein: w ranges from 0-20, y is 0 or 1; x+z+2y=11-23.

Claim 6

An emulsion according to claim 3, wherein the non-ionic emulsifier is glycerol monostearate, glycerol monooleate, glycerol monopalmitate or glycerol monolaurate.

Claim 7

An emulsion according to claim 3, wherein the non-ionic emulsifier is a fatty acid esters of polyethylene glycol of the formula: R1--(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --OH or R1--(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --O--R1 wherein R1 is a stearoyl, lauroyl, oleoyl or palmitoyl residue; w ranges from 2-20.

Claim 8

An emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the emulsifier system is present at 1-30% of the total weight; the aqueous phase is present at 40-95% of the total weight; the hydrophobic system is present at 10-50% of the total weight; the stabilizig perfumery materials are present at 5-15% by weight of the emulsifier system and the optional surfactants other than non-ionics are present at 0-20% of the weight of the emulsifier system.

Claim 9

An emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the stabilizing perfumery materials selected from the group consisting of 1,1,2,4,4,7-hexamethyl-6-acetyltetralin, carvone, cyclopentadecanolide, and methyl tetrahydro- and dihydro-abietate.

Claim 10

A process for preparing stabilized emulsions containing niosomal systems having liquid crystal-like structures comprising an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase wherein: I. the non-aqueous phase is formed by mixing: (a) An emulsifier system A, present at 1-30% of the total weight with an aqueous phase present at 30-98% of the total weight, consisting of one or more non-ionic emulsifiers; (b) A liquid hydrophobic system B, present at 0.01-50% of the total weight, consisting of one or more hydrophobic materials; (c) One or more stabilizing perfumery materials C, present at 0.5-25% by weight relative to the emulsifier system; (d) one or more optional surfactants D, present at 0-50% by weight relative to the emulsifier system, other than non-ionics; whilst maintaining the temperature sufficiently high to obtain a homogeneous liquid, II. the non-aqueous phase is mixed with the aqueous phase which optionally also comprises hydrophilic materials and is maintained at substantially the same temperature as the non-aqueous phase, under shear conditions and for a sufficient time to obtain a stable emulsion, whereafter the emulsion is brought to ambient temperature if necessary.

Claim 11

A process for preparing stabilized emulsions containing niosomal systems having liquid crystal-like structures comprising an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase wherein: I. the non-aqueous phase is formed by mixing: (a) An emulsifier system A, present at 1-30% of the total weight with an aqueous phase present at 30-98% of the total weight, consisting of one or more non-ionic emulsifiers; (b) A liquid hydrophobic system B, present at 0.01-50% of the total weight, consisting of one or more hydrophobic materials; (c) One or more stabilizing perfumery materials C, present at 0.5-25% by weight relative to the emulsifier system; (d) one or more optional surfactants D, present at 0-50% by weight relative to the emulsifier system, other than non-ionics; whilst maintaining the temperature sufficiently high to obtain a homogeneous liquid, II. the non-aqueous phase is mixed with the aqueous phase which optionally also comprises hydrophilic materials and is maintained at substantially the same temperature as the non-aqueous phase, under shear conditions and for a sufficient time to obtain a stable emulsion, whereafter the emulsion is brought to ambient temperature if necessary.

Claim 12

The process according to claim 9, wherein the emulsifier system consists of one or more non-ionic emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of polyethoxylated alcohols, fatty acid esters of polyethylene glycol, glycerol mono-fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters and polyethoxylated sorbitan fatty acid esters.

Claim 13

The process according to claim 10 wherein the non-ionic emulsifiers is selected from the group consisting of: i) a) (polyethoxylated) alcohols of the formula: CH.sub.3 --(CH.sub.2).sub.x --(CH.tbd.CH).sub.y --(CH.sub.2).sub.z --(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --OH wherein: w ranges from 0-20, y is 0 or 1; x+z+2y=11-23; i) b) branched (polyethoxylated) fatty alcohols of the formula: R--(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --OH wherein: R is a branched alkyl group of 12-18 carbon atoms and w is as specified above; ii) glycerol mono-stearate, oleate, palmitate or laurate; iii) fatty acid esters of polyethylene glycol of the formula: R1--(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --OH or R1--(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --O--R1 wherein: R1 is a stearoyl, lauroyl, oleoyl or palmitoyl residue; w ranges from 2-20, iv) sorbitan fatty acid mono- and tri-esters of the formula: ##STR13## wherein: R1 is H or ##STR14## and R2 is ##STR15## and w ranges from 10-16; and v. Polyethoxylated sorbitan fatty acid esters, of the formula: ##STR16## wherein: R1 is H or ##STR17## and R2 is ##STR18## u ranges from 10-16 and (w+x+y+z) is 2-20.

Claim 14

The emulsion according to claim 11, wherein the non-ionic emulsifier is a (polyethoxylated) alcohol of the formula: CH.sub.3 --(CH.sub.2).sub.x --(CH.tbd.CH).sub.y --(CH.sub.2).sub.z --(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --OH wherein: w ranges from 0-20, y is 0 or 1; x+z+2y=11-23.

Claim 15

The process according to claim 11, wherein the non-ionic emulsifier is glycerol monostearate, glycerol monooleate, glyerol monopalmitate or glycerol monolaurate.

Claim 16

The process according to claim 11, wherein the non-ionic emulsifier is a fatty acid esters of polyethylene glycol of the formula: R1--(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --OH or R1--(O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2).sub.w --O--R1 wherein: R1 is a stearoyl, lauroyl, oleoyl or palmitoyl residue; w ranges from 2-20.

Claim 17

The process according to claim 9, wherein the emulsifier system is present at 1-30% of the total weight; the aqueous phase is present at 40-95% of the total weight; the hydorphobic system is present at 10-50% of the total weight; the stabilizing perfumery materials are present at 5-15% by weight of the emulsifier system and the optional surfactants other than non-ionics are present at 0-20% of the weight of the emulsifier system.

Claim 18

The process according to claim 9, wherein the stabilizing perfumery materials is selected from the group consisting of 1,1,2,4,4,7-hexamethyl-6-acetyltetralin, carbone, cyclopentadecanolide, and methyl tetrahydro- and dihydro-abietate.